Method and apparatus for labeling and stacking flower pot covers

A method for labeling and stacking a plurality of flower pot covers, each of the flower pot covers having an outer surface, an open upper end and a retaining space openly communicating with the open upper end, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a first conveyor having a plurality of spatially disposed support assemblies connected thereto, each of the support assemblies selectively movable between a retracted position and an extended position, a portion of each of the support assemblies configured to substantially correspond to the configuration of the retaining space of the flower pot cover;
• (b) positioning a flower pot cover on each of the plurality of support assemblies such that the flower pot cover is disposed in an inverted position and the portion of the support assembly corresponding to the configuration of the retaining space of the flower pot cover is disposed within the retaining space of the flower pot cover;
• (c) moving the first conveyor along a first travel path whereby each of the support assemblies is sequentially moved through a first detection station for determining the presence of a flower pot cover on the support assembly and a second detection station for determining the location of the support assembly having the flower pot cover thereon;
• (d) automatically applying a label to the outer surface of each flower pot cover;
• (e) providing a second conveyor having a plurality of spatially disposed chutes supported thereon, each of the chutes having an object receiving space formed therein adapted to receive a plurality of flower pot covers, at least a portion of the second conveyor spatially disposed above the first conveyor;
• (f) moving the second conveyor along a second travel path whereby at least a portion of the second travel path of the second conveyor overlaps the first travel path of the first conveyor so that the support assemblies on the first conveyor are aligned with the chutes on the second conveyor, the movement of the first and second conveyors along their respective first and second travel paths being synchronized such that each of the plurality of support members having a flower pot supported thereon is selectively aligned with the object receiving space of one of the plurality of chutes supported by the second conveyor;
• (g) selectively moving the support member having the flower pot cover supported thereon to the extended position when same is aligned with the object receiving space of one of the chutes whereby the flower pot cover is inserted into the object receiving space of the chute;
• (h) moving the support member from the extended position to the retracted position whereby the flower pot cover is disengaged from the support assembly and supported within the object receiving space of the chute;
• and
• (i) repeating steps b-h to provide a nested stack of flower pot covers in the object receiving space of each chute.